The Tale of the Dragon and the Lioness
by Mojojuju
Summary: A simple, yet complicated, hopefully, story about Draco and Hermione. I am not sure where this will end up, so I'm just going to go where my pen, or keyboard, leads me! Like in the GG song: Where you lead, I will follow everywhere that you tell me to. :]
1. The Beginning

**The Tale of the Dragon and the Lioness**

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters and places involving Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling, but the plot and all else that is original is rightfully mine. Half Blood Prince took no part in this. I don't care, Dumbledore is NOT dead and Draco is NOT the bad guy!

**Rating**: Most likely mature in later parts.

**Chapter 1** - **The Beginning**

_If I ever feel better, remind me to spend some good time with you. You can give me your number, when it's all over I'll let you know... _

The soft music played in the still dark chamber in the early morning on the Thursday of the 1st September 2005. The room was that of a young teenager, still sleeping soundly in her comfortable bed, squishing a teddy bear in her arms. She would soon be woken up by her alarm clock that her minx of a sister specially switched to an hour early. What the sister also did was, not only, turn the volume of the alarm clock up but also changed the ringtone. It was no more the nice, smooth bell choir music, but a freaking _boat horn_.

Exactly 5 minutes later, the teenager woke up with a start as she heard her mobile phone started to ring extremely loudly. She got up with a start and searched for the goddamed thing, still sleepy and not fully concious. She couldn't know right from left and, more importantly, couldn't figure out where the phone was ringing from. She checked under the bed, on the bedshelf, bookshelf, she even looked inside her wardrobe, but still no success. Finally, she looked above her bed, and there, above her head, was her mobile attacked with sticky tape to the bloody ceiling.

"Rilley!" she belowed and ran to her sister's room after finally switching off her alarm clock. "Rilley! Why the bloody hell did you do that?" she yelled as she shook her sister violently. The younger girl opened her eyes groaning. As she saw who was standing above her, she giggled and sat up on her bed.

"Well, Hermione," she said. "As for your question, the answer is that as your sister it is my job to make sure you wake up, so you won't by any chance miss your train to Hogwarts." She said the last word in a whisper as though there were spies waiting just around the corner, recording every word said.

"Okay, but explain to me," Hermione retored, "why it had to be a bloody horn??"

"Because m'dear, no bell choir was going to wake you up, especially since you went to sleep at 5 o'clock yesterday chatting with mystery guy on msn all day, right?" Riley said with a grin as Hermione just blushed a deep crimson and kept quiet. "So who is the guy anyway?" she asked, scooting over insisting that her older sister would tell her about the boy she had met over the internet during the summer.

"I don't really know Ry. For all I know, he could have lied about everything. I mean, I had to lie to him about most of details of my life. He also could have been a wizard and lied about everything he told me."

"Oh, puh-lease! That would be too much of a coicidence! Besides, wizards don't have computers or access to internet!" Riley said in her I-know-I-am-right-and-you're-not tone.

"For the last time Ry – I am a witch and I have a computer and access to the internet, right? I am not the only muggle-born witch in the world. There are other witches and wizards who have internet." Hermione said, and sighed. "Now, if you will excuse me, I will go and take a long bath, and then I have to pack my trunk." She got off from her sister's bed and walked to the doorway. "I hope I can count on you with help, right?" she said with a smile, and left.

Hermione walked throught the corridor and walked into her room, grabbing some light blue jeans, a black sleeveless shirt from her closet and some undergardments. She then went to her own bathroom where her sweet smeling perfume, shampoo, soap and under such things awaited her. She quickly stripped off from her pj's and started to fill up the bathtub. She checked the temperature of her water, adjusting it, whether it was too hot or too cold. She stood there naked and cold, eager to get into the warm water as fast as possible, and she then suddenly remembered something. She slipped a towel around her slim body and walked back into her room. She walked over casually to her desk, and as though it was the most normal thing she ever did, she took her laptop in her hand and walked back to the bathroom. Thank God I turned of age in July... Hermione thought to herself as she started her computer.

She then took out her wand, placed a silencing charm on the bathroom and also one on her computer, protecting it from any harm. She then went in the bathtub, which was already half-full of water, and rested her head against the side of it. It felt good. Just relaxing in hot water. She took some liquid soap in her palm and rubbed it against her wet body. After she had washed her whole body, she took some different type of soap– one that was meant for her face, to make it more delicate and destroy any flaws on her face. She then sinked in deeper in the water and put her head under running water to wash her uptil now dirty hair. After a few minutes she was all washed up and decided to turn on her computer. Perhaps Jon was still online... after all, school was going to begin for him too...

Hermione started her computer and a few seconds later, she connected herself to the internet (thank God for wireless!) and logged on msn and, to her joy, he was still there. The very second later a conversation window popped up:

**Your An Idiot Says:  
**Greetings stranger! What are you up so early?

Hermione's heart just started beating faster, and grinned as she just wrote her own reply.

**M. Says:**  
Jon, I beg you – use proper grammar please! Change your screen name!

**Your An Idiot Says:  
**D'accord, d'accord mon cheri! Shall do...

**Your Idiot Says:  
**Is this better? grins

Hermione grinned herself.

**M. Says:**  
Much better m'dear.

**Your Idiot Says:  
**Well, are you going to tell me what you're doing up at 6:40 am?

Hermione's face fell as she read the line.  
**  
M. Says:**  
6:40 am?? You've got to be kidding me! Ugh! The evil witch! She's so dead. Grrrr!

**Your Idiot Says:  
**Who? Your darling sister? Nooo. But she's so sweet! Such a nice girl...

**Your Idiot Says:  
**What she do this time?

Hermione giggled. Yes indeed. He was her idiot.  
**  
M. Says:  
**She changed my alarm ringtone into a freaking BOAT HORN, set it an hour early now I come to think of it, and sticked it to the ceiling!! While I, bear in mind was looking for it, not fully concious or awake because I went to sleep late.

**M. Says:  
**...

**M. Says:  
**That last bit was kindda because of YOU!

**Your Idiot Says:  
**Yesss... But you still love me.

She blushed as he said-wrote- the words. It was true... Well... perhaps not love, but she did like him a lot. You can really tell how a person is just from their writing.  
**  
M. Says:  
**Yes. Sadly, that is true. p

She loved teasing him.

**Your Idiot Says:  
**Hey!

**Your Idiot Says:  
**So what are you doing? You still didn't really answer my question, mon cheri.  
**  
M. Says:  
**My, my... so curious are you mein schatje?

**Your Idiot Says:  
**Yes. Now tell me. :  
**  
M. Says:  
**Welll... if you must know, I am taking a bath.

**Your Idiot Says:  
**...

**Your Idiot Says:  
**You know this is intriguing? What are you wearing? ;)

Hermione blushed. They'd always do this.  
**  
M. Says:  
**Umm... nothing.

**Your Idiot Says:  
**Specially for me, right?  
**  
M. Says:  
**LOL! You sick perverted person! Yes, if you insist upon it! ;)

After a while Jon wrote another message

**Your Idiot Says:  
**I want to meet you, you know.

She sighed. She wanted the same. But many things she told him were lies. Where she went to school, what she learned, what she could do, funny stories, what she wanted to do in the future... Even though she knew him, she couldn't tell him she was a witch, as much as she'd like to tell him the truth...  
**  
M. Says:  
**Some day, some day. Sooner or later, we will. :)

**Your Idiot Says:  
**I'd rather it be sooner.  
**  
M. Says:  
**I know... but things are just complicated. With my boarding school, parents... they'd freak if they found out about you... I'm sorry, but I have to go. Oh, one more thing – I've figured out how to get my laptop to my school!! I'm so glad!

**Your Idiot Says:  
**Right, because in your school you're also not allowed computers. So what did you do?  
**  
M. Says:  
**I wrote to my principal and said that I needed the computer at school because my parents insisted on me having one there – so I can still write to them, and write up my essays and research on it, so I wouldn't waste time... you know, the usual crap. :) Okay, but I have to go now. I'll be seeing you!

**Your Idiot Says:  
**Alrighty.Au revoir mon cheri!

**M. Says:  
**Toi aussi mon amour.  
_M. logged off. _

Hermione sighed as she closed her computer. It was stupid. She was falling for some guy that she met over the internet... If only he was a wizard, or someone she knew many years and could tell them anything... but it sure felt like it. She felt as though she knew Jon for a lifetime. She knew his faults, his good sides... and he knew her. He knew she was imperfect, and she knew he also was imperfect.  
Perfect people was what scared Hermione. She knew she wasn't good all over, even thought many people though her perfect. But she wasn't. Nobody really knew her. Not Harry, Ron... just Jon. Her two best friends though her perfect – smart, kind, generous... one that doesn't swear a lot. Pff! Yeah, right! Sometimes she even felt as though MALFOY knew her better than Harry and Ron. She and Jon fit. They both knew it. But sadly they could never be.

Hermione sighed and went out of the bathtub. "Okay. Time to pack the bags, make Riley make me breakfast and then chop her head off for waking me this early..." she told herself out loud.


	2. The Trip

**The Tale of the Dragon and the Lioness**

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters and places involving Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling, but the plot and all else that is original is rightfully mine. Half Blood Prince took no part in this. I don't care, Dumbledore is NOT dead and Draco is NOT the bad guy!  
**Rating**: Most likely mature in later parts.

**Chapter 2**

Hermione soon enough ready to go back to Hogwarts. Well... soon enough being 10 o'clock. Figuring that she woke up at bloody 6:30 you would expect her to be ready by 8 o'clock right? But noooooo. (A/N: on purpose! Don't yell!) She was very slow at getting ready. And no, it wasn't because she would spend hours in the bathroom putting on her make up and fixing her hair. No, it wasn't that. The truth was that when it comes to packing, she leaves it always for the last minute. And even though she could technically use magic now that she was of age, she still liked packing her bags the muggle way. She had a separate bag for her clothes and a separate one for her books and other school supplies, not counting the various smaller bags in her bigger ones for other things.

As a last thing, she packed a smaller bag for the journey to Hogwarts. She there put her laptop, some wizard money, her memory stick, mp3 player and some small random things that brought back memories. She also put her diary in there as well. She didn't think it was a good idea to leave it in her other bags.

At fifteen past ten she was still running up and forth the staircase, making sure she had not forgotten anything, while her father stood at the doorway complaining that she "should pack everything in the evening the day before".

"Honestly Hermione! For someone as smart as you, you should learn to do such things in advance. You know you can't be late for the train..."

"I know mum, dad," she mumbled as she ran down for the final time. "Okay. I'm ready to go. Ry! You coming?" she yelled up the stairway and soon enough her sister came jumping down the stairs, her hair still wet. The two girls were putting their shoes and jackets on when their mother noticed Riley's hair.

"Riley!" she said angrily. "How many times do I have to tell you that you can't leave the house with wet hair! Go dry it now!"

"But mum!" the girl whined. "We'll be late!" as Riley pleaded with her mother, Hermione sighed and took out her wand. She made a quick drying spell on Riley's hair and stated:

"Now can we go?" as her parents nodded, Hermione headed out torward the door with one of her bigger bags and her journey bag, while her father took the other two bags. She had in total three bigger bags.

Hermione put the bag in the car's trunk and went to sit in the car. She looked around her for the last time for the next few months. She was sure going to miss this place. Their house and street surrounded by tall trees, Riley's and her's hiding places where they'd gossip about random things, their tree house, the swings and slides... it felt sad leaving it all, but yet Hermione also was glad to go back to her second home – Hogwarts.

When everyone was finally seated in the car, they took off and Hermione as always at this point of the summer acted like a little five year old child.

"Bye bye tree house. Bye bye actual house. Bye bye swing. Bye bye slide. Bye bye secret hiding places." She mentioned a dozen more and waved to each one separately while Riley laughed to herself. Each year, same thing. A normal person would think it annoying and boring by now but, then again, neither Riley nor Hermione were normal people. They were two crazy sisters who had a random sense of humour and believed that you become an adult once, but you can always be immature. And they sure followed the rule, even though Hermione acted like someone else at school: the bossy, hard working I-know-the-answer-and-you-don't-you-idiot-so-haha-take-that girl who didn't have much of a sense of humour. But she didn't like showing her true self. Before going to Hogwarts, she had it tough because of who she was. So why go thorugh the same thing again? Just act the opposite of who you are. And so she did.

They drove on through the streets of London in silence. Hermione stared behind the window taking mental pictures to herself in her mind. Images she can't forget: the small market her sister and herself would go to. The park they played hide and seek with the smaller kinds in. The tree which they ran around in circles wanting to do something random. Their random jokes. At the mere though she grinned to herself and started laughing. First silently, then harder and harder, and finally just not being able to stop herself. Riley looked at her wierdly pleading her to tell her why she's laughing. Hermione breathed in her hands, trying to calm herself down. She always did this when she laughed so hard that she couldn't stop.

After a few seconds she managed to calm herself down, but as she looked at Riley she burts out in hysterics again. This time Riley herself joined in, but she still didn't know why. When they both finally were grinning like Cheshire cats, but at least calmed down, Riley asked:

"Why were you laughing? What did you see to make you burst like that?" Hermione grinned and simply stated:

"Pick a tree, any tree!" and the two burst out laughing.

"Ohh my! Pick a line, any line!" Riley grinned as she remembered where the joke came from. "Ah.. Hermione dear, standing in the grocery store with you will never be the same again... especially when the queues are all so long..."

"And walking Cromi will never be the same again either Ry.. especially when we're in a hurry and he just stands in one place for five minutes..." Hermione flashed her a grin, and then it faded. "Oh no! I forgot to say goodbye to Cromi!"

"Don't worry 'Mione," Her mother said. "I\m sure he was sleeping hard that he didn't even notice you leave. And I'm sure he did not forget the dozens of times you petted him in the morning before you went out packing either." Her mother smiled and turner her back once more to her and looked in front of her.

"King's Cross is just across. Heey… I just rhymed!" he grinned to himself, and then said: "We'll be there in a few minutes. So make sure you have everything important in your bag. Ticket?"

"Check!" Hermione said.

"Money?"

"Check!"

"Laptop?"

"Check!"

"Head Girl letter with instructions?" her father now turned and smiled as he parked his car in front of the station. Hermione smiled back. Ever since she got the letter, they had to mention it at least once a day. Yes, she was glad. She celebrated the whole day after she had found out, but come on! She wasn't Percy Weasley to brag about it on and on!

"Oh no, I think I forgot it." She said calmly, but as she saw the look of horror on her father's face she shook her head and said quickly "Just joking dad, just joking! I have it!" Her father looked much relieved.

"Thank God." He said. "Now, let's accompany you to your stop." He said and went out of the car, taking out her bags.

The whole family made their way to the Platform 9 and ¾ to make sure Hermione got on the train to Hogwarts safe and sound. Before passing the gate to the platform, she said her goodbyes to her parents and then they all went their separate directions. She laughing, yelled at the top of her lungs to her sister the 'pick a tree, any tree' joke and, hearing her sister laugh, she left the platform with a smile. She didn't stay to watch them leave, because it was said to bring bad luck. She wasn't really superstitious, but she'd rather not risk anything when it came to her family. She walked boldly across the Platform 9 and ¾ to the train and got on it after putting her baggages in.

She then walked into the train searching for Harry, Ron, Ginny and the rest of their gang, just to say hello to them. Of course she had to go to the Head's compartment, but she only had to be there at 11 o'clock so she still had about 15 minutes for that. She finally spotted them entering a compartment, but they didn't notice her. With a grin on her face, she quietly approached the compartment. Before the semester started she wanted to have some fun. Not knowing somebody was actually observing her, she stopped next to the door, listened to her friends's conversation, took a breathe and then suddenly burst the door open and yelled:

"Bujah!"

The effect was at the most hilarious. Ron fell off his seat after throwing a piece of cake in the air, which then landed on Harry's face. Ginny jumped off her seat, waving her hands as though a bug was walking on her. Luna didn't notice anything, but that was Luna, so... Neville screamed and fell on top of Ron.

Hermione herself stood at the door laughing her ass off. As she could not control her laughter she started to breathe in and out in her hands, calming herself down. Well, the sight was hilarious! As the others finally understood what happen the looked at theirselves and laughed as well.

"Hey Hermione!" Harry said and gave her a hug. After the others got themselves in order, they also greated her warmly and asked all sort of questions about her summer.

"So did you meet anyone new?" Ginny asked her, winking. True man hunter that one. Hermione, trying to cover her blush simply said:

"Perhaps, perhaps. I shall talk to you guys later, I have to go to the Heads compartment now. But I shall see you later, mes amis!" she said and gave them all a mock bow, something very unlike the Hermione they knew. But she was just in one of those random moods of hers, where she couldn't help but act the way she always did (at least in front of Riley and, in writing, Jon). She skipped over to the Heads compartment at the end of the hallway and as she opened the door she was greeted by the words:

"So what was that all about, Granger?"


	3. A Little Bit of Harmless Fun

**Chapter 3 – A Little Bit of Harmless Fun**

Hermione narrowed her eyes as she saw who spoke. Firstly, what right does _he_ have to speak to her in the first place?! Secondly, what was he doing in the Heads compartment?! C'mon, he can't _possibly_ be the Head Boy now, can he? He was too much of an arrogant, idiotic suck-up ferret to be Head Boy. And thirdly, what was he doing in _her_ seat?

"Malfoy," she said quietly, but her anger was sensed by the tone of her voice. "What are you doing here?" The platinum blonde haired Slytherin simply shrugged and put his feet up on the small table beside the compartment seats.

"I'm Head Boy." He stated like his usual self. Yeah, as if that explained everything.

"I can see that. But why you?" Hermione asked impatiently, putting her hands on her hips. Now Draco grinned and pointed his hands toward himself. Kind of like all those 'macho' men you see around. Both on tv and on streets or shops.

"Why not me? As much as it might not seem to you Granger, I am quite intelligent and know how to organize myself and my time. And that," he said, emphasizing the 'that'. "Is the key to success. Most people here do not possess the skill of organization." He finished and Hermione just snorted.

"I find that both hard to believe and easy to believe. Anyways, I don't want this to year to end by tomorrow by us both getting each other killed," she said. "So let's make a treaty of a sort-" she was about to explain more when Draco interrupted her.

"No. I'm making no treaty with anyone. Especially you mudblood." He said, going back to his favourite phrase. Surprise, surprise! But Hermione didn't even flinch. She got used to it by now. She simply gave him an overly fake sweet smile, and said,

"Fine. Have it your way ferret boy. See if I care." She said and walked over to a seat further away. For a certain while she considered taking out her laptop to see if Jon was perhaps online, but she finally decided not to. If Malfoy saw her computer he'd probably figure out a way to destroy it. Or worse, he'd somehow later get access to her MSN and read all the messages Jon and her sent each other. And that would be too embarrassing if he read them.

So instead she took out her mp3 player and started listening to Alexz Johnson's songs. She put on her shuffle mode so that she would get a random song. She closed her eyes and waited for the music to start. She then smiled as "That Girl" started to play. "That Girl" is her all time favourite Alexz Johnson song. The song is simply beautiful. The lyrics and music fit beautifully together. Without realizing what she was doing, she started humming and tapping her foot to the rhythm of the song. At that point it seemed as if she didn't care. She loved the song so much, she didn't care who saw the weird thing she was doing.

Too bad that had to be Draco. The Slytherin Prince looked annoyed at what Hermione was doing even, though she wasn't really making a lot of noise. But that still didn't stop him from throwing a pillow at her direction hitting her right at the back of her head.

Hermione jumped up in surprise and then glared at the Slytherin. How could he do that?? What did she do to cause him to throw a pillow at her? She grabbed the pillow lying on the floor and threw it at Draco straight in the face. And that's when the fight started… pillow fight of course.

Draco conjured up a bunch of pillows with his wand and started throwing them at the Head Girl. Wow, yes, he was actually throwing them! And not using his wand to do so. Hermione, sensing more trouble ran over behind a couch (since the Head Compartment was about the size of an average room) making it her own little (well, big) wall. She conjured up her own bunch of pillows, but before she got to launch them at the now laughing Draco, about ten pillows fell on her head. Ugh! She was frustrated that he got her first before she got him! She quickly then started throwing pillows at him. Well, so she thought. She wasn't really looking at what she was grabbing.

Unfortunately for Draco she had a stuffed animal of a sort. How is that unfortunate? Because that animal was stuffed with something much harder than cotton or feathers. An even more unfortunate turn of events was that at that time Hermione threw the animal, well, _lower_ than usual and hit him where it hurts.   
Draco fell to the ground groaning in pain, while Hermione couldn't help but to giggle.

Oops? 

"Oh, goodness Malfoy," Hermione exclaimed in-between giggles as she approached the Malfoy in pain. Hey, she didn't mean it! It was an accident! "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to cause you pain. But well, you could have expected something like this to happen once you threw the first pillow at me." And she exploded in another fit of giggles.

While Hermione sat on the floor next to Draco, his pain was slowly passing, but now looked at Hermione with a murderous expression on his face. Who the heck knows what's going on in that twisted mind of his? All we know is that after his pain stopped he launched himself on Hermione and started to tickle her.

The Gryffindor of course was very ticklish. Tickle her and she starts to yell bloody murder. Tickle her and be prepared to get your nose kicked. By accident or not. Hermione was yelling and shouting, kicking her legs and trying to free herself from Draco's grip. And as much as it felt good to be lying like that on the floor with someone practically holding her, Hermione had to: a, get away from the tickling and b, get free from the hold of the person who was _supposed_ to be her arch enemy. She was not supposed to be lying on the floor with Draco tickling her right after a pillow fight. And most of all she was not supposed to enjoy it. 

In the end she managed to push him off her… okay, okay. She had to kick him again. Yes. Once more there where it hurt. Grabbing her bag she quickly ran out of the compartment giggling. She then smiled while shutting the door behind her.

What had she gotten into?


	4. Once More With Feeling

**Chapter 4 – Once More With Feeling**

Once she was safe from Draco outside on the Hogwarts Express corridor she decided to just sit in the middle of it. She didn't feel like going to the rest of her gang and she was sure the other compartments would be full as well. So she simply sat down near an exit door from the Hogwarts express.

Once she got herself comfortable, Hermione took from her backpack a miniature sized guitar and a booklet full of musical notes to different songs. She actually spent last summer looking for the guitar chords of most of Alexz Johnson's songs and some of her other favourite ones. Before she would always just play any song she had from a booklet she would buy from a musical shop. But last summer she had had enough. She found the guitar chords of the songs she wanted, went to a printing house and had herself a booklet with the guitar chords printed out. It was so much better than her earlier ones.

Hermione pointed her wand at her guitar and silently whispered a spell that enlarged her guitar. It was a good technique she learned. In her small backpack she managed to pack in things she never thought she would be able to fit.

She skipped some songs and went straight ahead to her all time favourite, which she felt like playing and singing. She had of course left her ipod in the Head's compartment. Hopefully Malfoy would stay away from it. She decided not to care for now, however. She started to tap her foot to the correct song rhythm and then started to play the chords. If only she had someone playing her drums, then the song would be perfect, but well. Guess she had to be grateful for what she had.

_You said you didn't need me (but you did)_

_You said you didn't want me (but you do)_

_It's kindda like a comedy_

_Well first you kiss me_

_Then you say we're through_

She first started to sing the song quietly, but as she got deeper into the song, she sang it louder, putting more emotion into it.

___I say you got some issues (yeah, you do)_

___Some things you gotta work through (really do)_

___It's sorta like a talk show, no wait a freak show_

___When the freak is you_

As she sang this song she didn't even realize that there were some people that started getting out of their compartments trying to see who was the person singing their… heart out? They were very surprised when they heard someone burst into song in the up 'til then silent corridors. They just had to stick their heads out to see who the person was. And then preferably start pointing and laughing.

But imagine a further surprise they received when they saw that it was Hermione Granger, out of all people, singing in the corridor with a guitar in her hand, playing the song. And she was sitting on the floor! Ms. I'm-too-good-to-get-to-know-you-and-ha-ha-look-at-your-dirty-robes was sitting on the floor with ripped jeans!

Most people had a facial expression that said 'so should we start laughing now' with a big question mark drawn on their forehead. At first they even wanted to do that but as Hermione got to the song's chorus and started singing louder, they realized her voice is actually pretty good and the words are simply amazing. Just the one thing that made them want to laugh was that Hermione actually had her eyes closed as she sang and played. Most people would have to look at the guitar to make sure they're playing the correct chords but Hermione must have known the song by heart already.

_____I'm the smoke from your fire_

_____I'm that lie you can trust my_

_____I'm the chord on your guitar_

_____I'm that girl you can't shut up_

_____I'm that blood you might need_

_____In your car when you speed_

_____In that cigarette you breathe_

_____You can't get rid of me_

She sang the chorus and chills literally passed on people's backs. She was a good singer. So maybe there was more to Ms. Granger than just a Gryffindor bookworm?

_______You said I wasn't funny (but you laughed)_

_______You said I couldn't drive fast (then you crashed)_

_______Funny how it works out_

_______With your big mouth_

_______You'll always get it back_

_______You thought you had me worked out (you're not deep)_

_______Mr. "I Screw About" (you're still a creep)_

_______At best you could've confessed_

_______That you're a big mess_

_______And that you're so damn weak_

Even some of the Slytherins stayed to listen to Hermione. Most of them as they saw who sang just pointed their finger at their head insisting that Hermione had officially gone crazy and nuts. That wouldn't have even surprised her. What would have surprised her (if she saw) was that Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince had also actually come out of the compartment and listened to her sing.

_________  
I'm the smoke from your fire_

_________I'm that lie you can trust_

_________I'm the chord on your guitar_

_________I'm that girl you can't shut up_

_________I'm the blood you might need_

_________In your car when you speed_

_________In that cigarette you breathe_

_________You can't get rid of me_

More importantly, Draco didn't have an evil look or a pitiful look on his face. No, he seemed not to want to laugh at her. In fact, he seemed more confused than any other of the students that were outside of their compartments. What had happened to the Hermione Granger, Gryffindor Know-It-All bookworm that wanted to change Elf Labour and make a big difference in the world? The Hermione Granger he knew would never even start a pillow fight with him. Let alone talk to him. Hermione Granger had changed big time. Or was he just too blind to notice? Nah. He'll go with the first option. What? He did have the best eye-sight in the wizarding community. Why else would he be a Seeker?

___________But still, I try and justify_

___________Try to let this die_

___________We'll never say goodbye I can't wait_

___________I'll rub it in your face_

___________Dressed in pretty lace_

___________I'll send you home, to cry_

_____________Na na na na na_

_____________Na na na na na_

_____________Na na na na na_

People could already sense she was near the end of her song, so many of the students (who were not from Slytherin) started to conjure up different flowers. Some Slytherins tried to conjure tomatoes, but let's face it. What Slytherin was smart enough to be able to conjure a tomato?

_______________I'm the blood you might need_

_______________In your car when you speed_

_______________In that cigarette you breathe_

_______________You can't get rid of me_

_______________Yeah, yeah  
_

_______________Na na na na na_

_______________Na na na na na_

_______________Na na na na na_

_________________Can't get rid of me_

Hermione sang the last bit of the song and smiled to herself, not knowing that she just gave a three minute concert to many Hogwarts students. Only did she realize it when she was suddenly attacked by a rain of various flowers falling on her and a loud applause and cheering from different people. Her friends were of course amongst them.

She gave everyone a big grin and shyly looked around. But she then caught the eye of a certain Slytherin. Why was it that when she looked at him she felt like smiling more?


	5. Just My Bad? Luck

**Chapter 5 – Just My (Bad?) Luck**

This is bad, this is bad, this is bad, this is so bad! Hermione Alanna Granger! Get a grip on yourself! You seriously cannot be thinking about Ferret Boy! That is simply unacceptable! Or at least if you do start thinking about him more, go over to him and tell him how you're starting to feel!

…

Or then again, scratch that. If you tell him he will point and laugh at you, spread the word, twisting your point of view and then you will become humiliated and murdered by the Gryffindors! But maybe he's worth the risk? AGH. Stupid hormones.

Hermione finally got off the train with the other students leaving behind her trunk as she did each year. She left everything on the train except her small backpack which kept her most precious belongings. She didn't care if all her clothes were stolen. She cared more about her music instruments, her laptop and her ipod amongst other things that were in her backpack.

She checked once more out of habit to make sure she has her backpack with herself. She couldn't help it. It was like a tick. Her need to make sure she has everything even, though she checked three times already. She then decided to catch a carriage with Harry, Ron, Ginny and the rest of the bunch. If only she could find them that is.

She started to look in every direction trying to find a spot of a characteristic vibrant red hair that could only belong to either one of the Weasley's. In the process of trying to find them she bumped into a bunch of people. She was about to give up when suddenly she heard someone call out her name from behind her. She turned around grinning like a Cheshire cat and grinned further as she saw Harry and Ron wave in her direction. She held her backpack tighter and ran toward her two best friends. However, she ran so fast that she literally ran into them causing them all to fall to the ground.

"Hermione!" Ron finally exclaimed not understanding the sudden change in her character. She does seem pretty out of character doesn't she? "What's wrong with you? Are you drunk on firewhisky or something?" Hermione simply laughed at him.

"Nope, not drunk. Just being myself." She said grinning. "I decided during the summer to drop my cover and be who I really am. Well, with the convincing of a friend I decided so. This is the real me." She smiled.

"You're not the Hermione I know…" Ron mumbled.

"Well, I guess you'll have to suck it up and get to know the actual me. I couldn't keep pretending to be something I am not Ron. I want this year to be my best. I don't want people remembering me as the goody-two-shoes, know-it-all Granger." Hermione said, feeling a little bit sad that Ron got mad. How could he want her to be something she is not just because he doesn't know her real self? That was not fair.

"Hermione, it's not that we don't like you anymore." Harry said, trying to ease the fire between the two. "It's just that it's going to be weird, you know? What if I suddenly exclaimed that I wanted to be friends with Ferret there?" Ron flinched at the mere thought and Hermione looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Harry, that's something completely different. _You_ want to _change_ something you are _against_, whereas _I_ want to _show_ the _real_ me and get rid of the _fake_ me. It's a completely different matter." She sighed. Well, she knew someone was bound not to like the real Hermione but she didn't expect that those people would be her best friends. "You know what? I'll just give you some time. I'll catch a ride in another carriage." They tried to call her back but she already went away looking for an empty carriage.

What could be worse than your best friends rejecting who you are? Ehh. Will they ever get used to how she really is? Hermione shook her head at the mere thought of Harry and Ron abandoning her completely and didn't even notice the person standing mere footsteps away. She only noticed the person after bumping into them.

"Ouch" Hermione stumbled backwards and was ready to hit the ground but felt strong arms catch her right in time. She opened her eyes which she had automatically closed while falling. Oopsie. Will she _ever_ get rid of his haunting person? Once again her path crossed with the one of Draco Malfoy.

"You okay there Granger?" he asked her.

"Umm. Yeah," she said hesitantly. He was still holding her waist even, though she stood well balanced on the ground now. "Sorry… again. Well. I guess I should be heading back to-" she started excusing herself, but the Ferret once more interrupted her.

"Heading to Hogwarts? Yes, I've realized that. But as I see, this is the last carriage available." He said as he pointed his finger around. Hermione looked around. He was right. There were no other carriages. Darn it!

"Oh that is just bloody fantastic." Hermione said more to herself than to Malfoy.

"Granger, just take this one with me. Not like you have any other choice either ways. Unless you feel like walking until 3am."  
Hermione stood there and considered for a while. Heck, he was the one offering, but what if it was some kind of a trap to catch her alone. It was the perfect opportunity for him to cause her pain somehow. But then again, he was right. There were no more carriages and she sure as hell did not feel like walking. Ugh. Did she have any other choice?

"Fine. I'll come along. Just promise me one thing." She said.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't throw me out halfway through getting to Hogwarts." She replied. Draco simply laughed and pointed at the entrance.

"Ladies first."


End file.
